Prohibition of rum smuggling failed to work in 1808. Prohibition of people smuggling is not working now. More law and order cannot solve social problems.
Is there no solution? There is, from reading our history: NSW Governor Lachlan Macquarie put rum smugglers out of business by legalising imports and taxing them.
Macquarie turned enforcement costs into a huge revenue steam that built Sydney Hospital (that still stands today as a testament to wise government) plus the revenue from taxing rum imports built over 200 other badly-needed public works.
The Commonwealth Government can put people smugglers out of business (and eliminate leaky boats and drownings) by legalising airlines to import asylum-seekers for a pre-paid fee of the airfare plus half what smugglers charge. Airlines remit the cash to the Government.
Rich migrants (for a fat fee) are already jumping the queue so why not let the Government make money from a tax on asylum seekers instead of smugglers getting rich and costing us billions from futile prohibition and detention efforts.
Worrying about gene pollution and being swamped by people who are 'not like us' is racism masked as 'border protection'.
Within 10 years of gold being found in Australia our population tripled. Few had 'identity papers' and Australia got rich from economic refugees who were 'not like us'. But they changed Australia by marrying us and endowed Australia with the Hybrid Vigour that comes from a multicultural nation.
Monoculturalism has been dead for decades. Disinterring 'White Australia' (and calling it 'border protection') is economic lunacy.
Governor Lachlan Macquarie did away with prohibition and New South Wales prospered. America prospered from boat after boat of 'huddled masses'. As President Roosevelt said: "All we have to fear is fear itself."
So don't read Murdoch's 'Australian' or 'Sydney Telegraph'. They prey on your fear and prejudice like African hyenas to help the Libs oust Labor on orders from News Corporation in New York.
For fair and balanced reporting I read Fairfax's 'Australian Financial Review' and the 'Sydney Morning Herald'.
But if you want to pollute your mind with Murdoch fear-mongering, go ahead. It's better than polluting your mind with Alan Jones but sadly not by much.
